Spring diving apparatus



March 28, 1961 H. J. LEHFELDT ETAL SPRING DIVING APPARATUS Filed July13, 1959 al ILL,...

United SPRING nrvnvc APPARATUS Henry J. Lehfeldf, 4631 sw.5u1 Terrace,Miami 44, F1a., and Arthur O. Lehfeldt, 62 Miracle Mile, Coral Cables,Fla.

Filed July '13, 1959, ser. No. 826,540

-11 claims. Y(c1. 272-66) This invention relates to apparatus for usewith diving boards and platforms for the purpose of applying an impulseor thrust to the board in addition to that imparted by its naturalresiliency.

It is the principal purpose of the invention to provide a diving boardor platform powered by resilient means such as a spring.

Another object is to provide a diving board in which energy in theresilient means such as a spring, is controlled by the diver andreleased in response to a predetermined number of oscillations impartedto the board, or to a preselected stress of the resilient means.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the type aforesaid whichmay be readily applied to existing diving boards or platforms withlittle or no alterations, or incorporated as an integral feature of newboards.

- Still another object is to provide a diving apparatus of the kindmentioned which is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct,positive and reliable in operation and easily serviced and repaired.

Yet another object is to provide a diving apparatus which adds greatlyto the thrill of diving and which is a valuable aid to instructors ofswimming and diving.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art after a study of the following description inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view to a reduced scale showing the gen eral locale of theinvention applied to an existing diving board;

Figure 2 is a side elevation,-partly in section, showing one of thespring-powered units forming a part of our invention; v

Figure 3 is a perspective view to about the same scale as Figure 2,showing the mechanism by which the stored energy in the spring or otherpower means, is released,

and its manner of adjustment;

Figure 4 is a plan View of a portion of a diving board or platform andshowing the manual adjustment and indicator, by which thethrust of thespring or springs at release, is controlled and indicated;'

Figure 5 is a sectional view to a scale enlarged over that of Figure 2,of the means by which the returnY of the rack member to operatingposition, is delayed momentarily following release; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view to a somewhat reduced scale, showing therack member.

Referring in detail to the drawing wherein like reference numeralsidentify corresponding parts throughout, 1 indicates a spring-poweredunit which, from Figure 1 is seen to be mounted beneath a diving board Bso as to be responsive to the downward movement thereof as a divercauses the board to` oscillate. As shown, the apparatus is containedwithin a casing 2 of plywood or metal, such as aluminum.

A heavy collar 3 is secured to the bottom 2b of the casing, as by capscrews o r bolts 4, and has a central ice , 2 threaded aperture 5 Withinwhich is threaded a hea metal cylinder 6. The cylinder is closed at itstop by a cap 7 and contains a plungerS loosely fitting the same, forvertical guided recprocation therein. A plunger rod 9 has one endattached to plunger 8 as bythreads and lock nut 10, and extends upwardlythrough a central guide hole in cap 7. A heavy coil spring 11 ispositioned within the cylinder 6, to be compressed by downward movementof the plunger.

At a suitable distance above plunger 8, rod 9 has a holding pawl 12. InFigures 2 and 3 this pawl is shown as rigidly xed, as by welding, to rod9. However, to facilitate installation and adaptation to existingboards, it is contemplated that this pawl may be adjustably fixed to therod, as by. threads and lock nuts, set screws, or in any other knownway. It is also contemplated that the lower part of rod 9,'that is, theportion traversing through cap 7, may be of square or other non-circularsection, with a correspondingly-shaped aperture in cap 7, so that therod will be prevented from turning Without direct attachmentto thediving board.

Above pawl 12 the rod 9 is provided with a rack 13 shown as cut therein.A slide 14 has a guide hole through which the rod passes with a smootht. This slide includes a pair of laterally-extending integral lugs 15which have aligned bearings journaling a shaft 16. A pinion 17 is fixedto shaft 16 and extends through a slot, not shown, in the wall of slide14 between lugs 15 and into mesh with rack 13. .A release pawl 14aprojects integrally from slide 14 and is so disposed that it eventuallyengages the end of a rack 40, subsequently described, to cam'the rack torelease position.

Slide 14 has a second bore oiset from and parallel with that throughwhich rod 9 passes. This second bore houses a worm, not shown, journaledtherein on a vertical axis and in mesh with a worm gear 18, Figure 3,also xed to shaft 16. A flexible shaft or Bowden cable 19 extends fromthe top of housing 14, as clearly shown upon kFigure 3, to an indicatormechanism generally identified at 20, shown upon Figure 4 as attached tothe side of board B near the anchored end thereof. Also from this figureit will be noted that we have shown two of these spring units 1 and 1a,mounted in side-by-side relation beneath the board. Thus, shaft 16extends transversely from unit 1 to unit 1a, where it is connected withpinion 17 thereof. In unit 1a, of course, worm gear 18 may be omitted,as well .as cable 19. The arrangement thus provided enables simultaneousand equal vertical adjustment of the slides 14 of units 1 and 1a, from asingle drive 19.

The -indicator Z0 may comprise a fiat housing 21 having a`verticaldimension not greater than the thickness of board B and attached to oneside edge thereof by screws 22. The housing contains a gear 23 journaledtherein and having a portion Viewable through an opening `24 in cover 25secured in position by machine screws 26. The gear 23 has secured to itsupper face a plate or d ial Vbearing graduations of effective springforce at release and/or the number of oscillations of the board toeffect release thereof. These graduations may be read against anindicator 27, which may be xed to a transparent pane, not shown, securedin water-tight relation with coverv 25 over opening 24. A pinion 28meshes with gear 23 within housing 21. This pinion is fixed to a shaftwhich extends vertically through a bushing, not shown, in cover 25. Ahandle 29 is fixed to the top end of the shaft. The lower end of theshaft is connected or coupled with the core of flexible shaft 19. Inthis manner, turning of handle 29 operates to vertically adjust theslides 14 of units 1 and 1a and at the same time. effects proportionalturning of indicator gear 23 to give an indication of the spring forceat release and/or the number :of

`much nearer the end of the rack. or pawl 14a finally engages the end ofracl; il after agrarie 'jumps or oscillations of the board necessary toeffect release.

As shown upon Figure v2, a clevis 3d is fixed tothe top A(3f/shaft 9 toreceive a lug 31 secured to the 'under `side lofboard B. A pivot pin 32connects the c evisand lug so that the shaft 9 is moved vertically inresponse to Vforwardly offset andprovided with aligned bearing holes 39to receive the respective trunnions 35. A rack 40 rises vertically fromthe central portion of the U and is formed with a number of teeth 4i incooperative relation with Vholding pawl 12, as will be clear frominspection of Figure 2. In this Way, shaft 9 is held in successivelylower positions.

Rack member 36 is urged into engagement with pawl v 12 about the axis ofaligned trunnions 35, by a combined spring and dashpot element 42,Figures 2 and 5.

This element is supported from a bracket 43 shown as )fixed to one sidewall of container 2 as by screws lid. The

dashpot cylinder 45 has one end threaded to aiiix cap 46. A piston 47has a smooth pressure-tight iit within Vthe cylinder and its rod 48extends through a guide hole in cap 46 and is pivoted by eye 49 tobracket d3. A coil spring 50 is positioned within cylinder l5 betweenpiston 47 and the bottom of the cylinder. The base or closed end of thecylinder has a pin 51 fixed therewith and extending axially into arounded depression 52 in the back edge of the rack 46. The dashpotdevice thus acts in a Way obvious from inspection of Figures 2 and 5 teurge the rack into engagement with pawl i2.

Cylinder 45 has a slot 53 in its wall, as well as a check `valve S4 inits closed end, so disposed as to permit outflow of air between piston47 and the closed end, but preventing flow into the cylinder. The slot53 is so dimensioned and located that during play of the cylinder kbackand forth in response to step-by-step downward movement of pawl 12, thepiston does not move over the ends thereof so that, under suchconditions there is no 4damping effect produced. However, when releasepawl 14a finally engages the upper end of rack 4d, the greater angularmovement imparted to the rack, causes cylinder 4S to move to the left,as the parts are viewed upon Figure 5, a distance such that'piston 47 ismoved beyond the right end of the slot 53, thus trapping a body of airwithin the cylinder. On further movement of the cylinder to the left, aquantity of air is forced out through check valve 54. Thus at theinstant rack 4d is released from pawl 12, the movement of cylinder 45 tothe right is momentarily checked due to below-atmospheric pressure inthe dashpot. "The delay is sufcient to effect the desired release ofenergy stored in spring il.

The operation will be clear from the foregoing description and may bebriefly resumed as follows: A diver desiring to use the invention turnshandle 29 until the desired sp-ring force is indicated on dial 23opposite pointer 27. At thesame time shaft le -is rotated from exibleshaft V19, to correspondingly vertically `adjust slide 14 and therelease pawl 14a. The indication may also be in terms of the number ofoscillations or jumps necessary to effect release by pawl Ma.

The diver may then jump up and down on the board and with eachcorresponding oscillation, pawl ll?. is moved down one notch on rackdil, spring lll is further compressed and slide 14 is simultaneouslybrought that When release cam the set number of oscillations, rack 40 iscammed thererby out/.of engagement with pawl i2 and the stored energy inthe spring is instantaneously released to impart an .4 upward thrust tothe board in addition to its inherent or natural resiliency. The diveris thereby projected upwardly with added velocity and height, for athrilling dive. Alternatively, the diver may oscillate the board oneless than the set number, then make a running dive. v While we haveshown the form of our invention presently preferred by us,variousalterations and substitutions are possible and will readily occurtothose skilled in the art after a study of the present'disclosure. Forexample, collar 33 may be threaded onto cylinder 6. Pin 51 may be madeadjustable in length for a fine accurate adjustment after installation.Also, while We have shown the board B as equipped with two of the springunits 1 and la, it is contemplated that one, three or even moreof suchunits may be installed depending upon the extra thrust desired atmaximum setting. Of course, where one unit only is used, the extensionof shaft 16 is omitted. Or Where three or moreare used in side-by-siderelation, the shaft or an extension thereof, -is connected with thethird unit las has been described herein for the second. The apparatusmayalso be used by acrobats and gymnasts for increasedexercise, pleasureand thrills.

Therefore, the foregoing disclosure is to be taken in an illustrativerather than a limiting sense; and it is our desire and intention toreserve all modifications within the scope of the subjoined claims. AInthese claims, the term board is to be taken as inclusive of platformsand other supports'from which a dive or leap is made. The term verticalas used in the claims refers solely to the position of the part thusreferred to, as it appears on the drawing and not to any limitingposition of use.

Having now fully disclosed our invention, what we claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. ln a diving apparatus for use with a diving board, compressibleresilient means, compressing means operated by and in response tosuccessive, discretey oscillations of the board to store progressivelyincreasing energy in said resilient means, and means responsive to thefinal one of a preselected number of-oscillations of said board, toinstantaneously release to the board, energy stored in said resilientmeans.

2. rl'he combination with a diving board, of a stressible resilientelement, means `actuated by and in response to successive, discreteoscillations of said board to increasingly stress said resilient elementstep by step, and means releasing said resilient element in response -toa preselected number of oscillations of said board and imparting theenergy stored in said resilient element as an upward thrust on saidboard.

3. in a diving apparatus of the type described, a vertical rod mountedfor longitudinal movement by and in response to oscillations of a divingboard, rack means coacting with said rod to hold the same in successivepositions of longitudinal movement in one direction, spring meansincreasingly stressed by successive movements of said rod in said onedirection, and means responsive to a preselected total movement of saidrod to instantaneously release to said rod the total energy stored insaid spring means and move the same in the opposite direction.

4. An apparatus for use with Va diving board comprising, a frame, a rod,a plunger fixed to one end of said rod, guide means carried by saidframe and mounting said rod and plunger for reciprocation, an abutmentfixed in said frame, a coil spring interposed between said abutment andplunger to be stressed by movement of said plunger, rack and pawl meanscarried by said rod and frame and operable to hold said rod insuccessive positions of increased stress of said spring, and meansresponsive to a predetermined total movement of said plunger to releaseVthe energy stored in said spring as a longitudinal thrust on said rod.

5. in an apparatus of the type described, first means adapted forconnection with a divingboard, second means mbvedinV one Vdirection stepby* step by.A said .lirstrneans in response to discrete successiveoscillations of said board, a spring stressed by movement of said secondmeans in said one direction, means responsive to a predeterminedcumulative movement of said secondY means to release said spring and theaccumulated energy therein, and means applying said energy as a thruston said board.

6. In an apparatus of the type described, a vertical rod mounted forconnection of its upper end with a diving board, a spring urging saidrod in longitudinal upward movement, rack and pawl means associated withsaid rod and support to hold said rod in successively lowered positionsagainst the correspondingly increasing stress of said spring, meansyieldingly urging said rack and pawl means into cooperating relation,and means operated in response to a selected total downward movement ofsaid rod to render said rack and pawl means inoperative and effect aninstantaneous upward thrust on said rod by the energy released from saidspring.

7. In a diving board apparatus, a casing, a cylinder fixed to the baseof said casing With its axis vertical, a plunger slidably fitting saidcylinder, a coil spring within said cylinder to be stressed by movementof said plunger,

rod, dashpot means yieldingly urging said rack member a rod fixed withsaid plunger and extending vertically exteriorly of said casing, a pawliixed with said rod, a rack member mounted in said casing for movementtoward and from said rod, means yieldingly urging said rack member intocooperative. relation with said pawl, to hold said rod in successivepositions of increasing stress of said spring, and/means carried by saidrod for adjustment therealong and engageable with said rack to releasethe same from said pawl.

8. In an apparatus for use with a diving board, a casing, a `cylinderpositioned vertically in said casing, a centrally apertured cap closingVthe upper end of said cylinder, a plunger loosely fitting said cylinderfor vvertical reciprocation therein, a rod Xed with said plunger andextending upwardly through the aperture in said cap for guided movement,a coil spring in said cylinder between the lower end thereof and saidplunger, a' holding pawl fixed on said rod, a rack mounted in saidcasing for pivoting about an axis inormal to saidrod adjacent the baseof said cylinder, said rack being generally parallel with the path ofsaid holding pawl, resilient means urgingsaid rack so that its teeth aresuccessively engaged and held by said holding pawl in motion of said rodand plungerto compress said spring, and a release pawl on said rod abovesaid holding pawl, said release pawl operating to engage and cam saidrack out of the path of said holding pawl.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8, said release pawl being mountedfor longitudinal adjustment on and along into cooperating relation withsaid holding pawl, a slide mounted on said rod above said holding pawl,release means carried by said slide and engageable with said rack memberto release the same from said holding pawl, manually operable meansconnected with said slide to adjust the same on and along said rod, saiddashpotv means including a cylinder operated by said holding pawl, apiston slidably fitting said cylinder, a rod fixed to said piston andpivoted to said casing, a spring between said piston and the end of saidcylinder contiguous said rack member, said release means moving saidrack member a greater distance than said holding pawl, there being aslot through the wall of said cylinder longitudinally thereof, the endof said slot toward said rack .member being covered by said piston inresponse to movement of said cylinder by said release means, and a checkvalve in said cylinder permitting exit only of `air therefrom.

11. In an apparatus for use with a diving board, first means engageablewith a diving board to be moved by and in response to oscillationsthereof, second means associated with said first means to hold the samein aposition of cumulative movement proportional to-the nurnber of saidoscillations, resilient means progressively teni sioned directly bysuccessive discrete movements of said first means, and means responsiveto 4a preselected cumulative movement of said first means to render saidsecond means temporarily inoperative and thereby release the energystored in said resilient means as a thrust upon said vfirst means andthe diving board.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,027,474 Dean Jan. 14, 1936 2,461,086 Schumacher Feb. 8, 1949 2,675,235Nightingale Apr. 13, 1954 2,743,926 Klein May 1, 1956 (2,764,413 WisnerSept. 25, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 127,858 Austria Apr. 25, 1932-

